Sound absorbing panels between ceilings



Aug. 6, 1968 c. ZWICKERT SOUND ABSORBING PANELS BETWEEN CEILINGS 4 Sheets-Shee 1 Filed July 25, 1966 6, 1968 c. ZWICKERT 3,395,504

SOUND ABSORBING PANELS BETWEEN CEILINGS Filed July 25, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 dd 9 3a Aug. 6, 1968 c. ZWICKERT 3,395,504

SOUND ABSORBING PANELS BETWEEN CEILINGS Filed July 25, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 z fmxx Aug. 6, 1968 c. ZWICKERT SOUND ABSORBING PANELS BETWEEN CEILINGS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 25, 1966 United States Patent 9 Claims. c1. 52-144 The present invention relates to an arrangement for hanging false ceilings.

According to the invention, the hanging arrangement is of the self-locking type and permits the false ceiling to be suspended at an adjustable height and under good conditions for being removed.

According to one feature of the invention, the arrangement serving for the hanging of the false ceiling also serves for the mounting of small partitions between the true ceiling and the false ceiling, these small partitions coming into alignment with large partitions situated in the room which is receiving the false ceiling and preventing noise being propagated from one side to the other of the large partitions through the space which is between the true and false ceilings.

According to another feature of the invention, certain of the elements which form the hanging arrangement for the false ceiling also serve for the mounting of the large partitions beneath the false ceiling.

Briefly stated, the hanging arrangement according to the invention can serve at the same time for hanging a false ceiling and for the erection of separating partitions above and/ or below the said false ceiling.

According to the invention, the hanging arrangement can be reduced in essentials to pairs of section members each formed with a longitudinal groove and spacing members of adjustable length, the ends of which are adapted to be engaged in the grooves of the said section members.

One of the said section members, which will hereinafter be referred to as the upper section member, must be fixed to the true ceiling of the room in which it is desired to hang the false ceiling, this fixing means being :adapted to be made in any appropriate removable or definitive manner, as by screwing, sealing, etc., the groove of the positioned section member then having to be downwardly open.

An end portion of a spacing member or pillar of variable length is received in this longitudinal groove, the other end thereof being adapted to be engaged in the trough or groove of the other section member in order to support this latter.

This other section member, which will hereinafter be referred to as the lower section member, as well as having to comprise an upwardly opening groove capable of holding the lower end of the pillars, must also have means capable of supporting the false ceiling.

These means may be simply the flanges of the section member.

According to another feature of the invention, the downwardly directed face of the lower section member may be adapted to serve for the mounting of a partition beneath the false ceiling.

These features and also other features of the present invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by way of example different embodiments of the means for hanging a false ceiling, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal view showing the elements for hanging a false ceiling above a partition in a room;

FIGURES 2 and 3 are respectively a front view and horizontal section on different scales, showing the hanging of a false ceiling of the type shown in FIGURE 1,

comprising according to the invention separating partitions between the ceiling and the false ceiling of the room;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic cross-section showing the hanging of the false ceiling and also the components of this hanging arrangement, in the region of a pillar;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal projection of a detail of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a cross-section of a modified form of lower section member designed according to the invention so as to serve for the erection of a partition beneath the false ceiling,

FIGURE 7 shows the hanging of a false ceiling as a cross-section at the level of a small partition,

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view, with parts broken away, showing the assembly formed by a false ceiling according to the invention hung above a partition, and also another partition, and

FIGURES 9, 10 and 11 are respectively two detail sectional views and a detail perspective view of different mountings of false ceiling panels of various structures.

The same references in the various figures indicate identical or corresponding elements.

FIGURE 1 shows a partition 1 in position in a room, with a free space between the top of the partition and the true ceiling 2 of the room.

According to the invention, the hanging of the false ceiling which is to duplicate the ceiling 2 at a level which is just above the partition 1 is formed by means of an upper bearer section member 3 fixed to the true ceiling and a lower supporting section member 4 suspended from the upper section member by means of a plurality of suspension members 5.

The two section members 3 and 4, shown lengthwise in FIGURE 1, are seen in cross-section in FIGURE 4, where it is apparent that, in this embodiment of the mounting elements according to the invention, the section members have the general form of a U, having wings which end in inwardly directed flanges 3a, 3a and 4a, 4a, respectively, the lower section member in addition having flanges 4b, 4b which extend outwardly and which form suspension means for the panels 6 of the false ceiling.

The upper section member 3 which is fixed to the true ceiling by any appropriate means, as by sealing or screwing, has a downwardly open groove or channel '7.

One end 5a of a suspension member 5 is adapted to slide longitudinally in this channel 7, the other or lower end 5b of said suspension member being adapted to slide longitudinally in a groove or channel 8 of the lower section member 4.

The ends 5a and 5b of the member 5 may take very different structural forms, but it is advantageous that these forms permit the sliding of the member 5 along the section members 3 and 4.

By way of example, FIGURE 4 shows two different types of the end portions 5a and 5b, while FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the upper end 5a, which is advantageous ly designed to have a partially oval form so that it can be introduced into the channel 7 through the opening 9 of the latter when its major dimension is brought parallel to the axis of the section member 3, and to be retained therein after a turning movement bringing this major dimension perpendicular to the axis of the section member.

Similar arrangements can be adopted for the lower end 512 of the suspension member 5.

According to one feature of the invention, the members 5 have an adjustable length between their end portions, this permitting the suspension level for the false platform to be arranged at any desired height,

These sunpension members comprise for example, in their length, two parts which are displaceable relatively to one another. In the constructional form which is illus trated, these parts are respectively a section member 50 having a cavity d adapted to receive a screw 52 which has a thread corresponding to that of two nuts Si and 5g, of which the former is fixed to the part 50 and the second is movable and serves for the locking of the screw.

It is obvious that this screw system only represents one of several possible means which can be used for varying the length of the member 5.

The member 5 may be of any desired cross-section, and can be round, oval or polygonal.

In the constructional form which is illustrated, the form chosen is square, as will best be seen from FIGURE 3.

It can also be seen from this figure that, according to the invention, the suspension members 5 are set in soundabsorbing panels which are designed to permit the housing thereof.

These panels 10 comprise for example a central panel 10a bounded on each of its large surfaces by a thinner lateral panel 10b, the two panels 1% forming with the central panel 10a a cavity 11 capable of receiving a part of the member 5.

In FIGURE 2, which shows the panels 10 lengthwise, it is only the lateral panels 10b thereof which are apparent.

In one constructional example, the central portion 10a is made of flax and the lateral portions 101; are made of isorel, but it is understood that any desired material known for its insulation properties can be chosen for the formation of these panels.

The essential purpose of the panels 10 is actually to be positioned in the upper extension of the partitions such as 1, in order to avoid sound passing from one side to the other of these partitions through the space contained between the true ceiling and the false ceiling of the room.

According to the invention, the panels 10 can also be formed with end portions 100 and 10d accommodated in the grooves or channels of the section members 3 and 4, as shown in FIGURE 7, where examples of the formation of the said ends are shown.

At least one of these end portions and the depth of the channel receiving it may be provided with a possibility of giving sufiicient play to the said end in the channel, so that the distance of the section member 3 from the section member 4 can vary under the effect of the adjustment in length of the members 5 without the panels 10 being an obstacle to this variation.

Packing materials may if required be used for filling the free spaces in the channels or grooves of the section members.

According to another feature of the invention, the lower section member 4 may be shaped so as to serve for the fitting of the partitions, such as 1.

Thus, in the particular case where these partitions are of the type described in US. application Ser. No. 425,844 of I an. 15, 1965, the lower section member 4, instead of having the shape as shown in FIGURE 6, could have the shape which is shown in FIGURES 4 and 7, and be provided on its lower face with two channels 4c and 4c adapted to serve the purpose of the channels 3 and 3 of the section member shown in FIGURE 1 of the aforementioned patent.

According to another feature of the invention, when it is the intention to provide the hanging arrangement according to the invention above a partition of the selflocking type, as is particularly the case when these partitions are of the type described in the aforementioned patent application, it is of interest to make the members 5 to serve the purpose of jacks, these jacks acting in series with the jacks of the partition pillars which are described in the aforementioned patent application.

It is not necessary in this case for the true ceiling 2 to have effectively fixed thereto those of the upper section members 3 which are perpendicularly of the partition, the position of these section members in contact with the ceiling being effected by an appropriate adjustment of the pillar jacks and the jacks 5. In particular, provision is made for the members 5 to be disposed systematically in the vertical extension of the partition pillars (indicated at 12 in FIGURE 1). V

FIGURE 8 is one example of such a hanging arrangement for the false ceiling above a partition such as that described in the patent application hereinbefore referred to.

An upper section member 13 is provided, from which is suspended a lower section member 14 by suspension members such as 15; sound-absorbing panels 17 are mounted between the section members, and false ceiling panels such as 18 are supported by the lower section member, acting in co-operation with other similar section members (not shown).

According to the invention, a partition indicated as a whole by the reference 19 and of which only the upper part appears in perspective and in section in FIGURE 8, is mounted beneath the section member 14 and in alignment with the sound-absorbing panels 17.

The said partition 19 is formed by an assembly of elements comprising essentially pedestals" which, like the lower section member 14, are characterised by the presence of a longitudinal central groove 14a between two longitudinal symmetrical lateral grooves 14b and supports or pillars such as 20 ending in jack systems 21 in the central groove of the pedestals; panels such as 22 mounted between the pedestals and wings such as 23 mounted in the lateral grooves of the pedestals for masking the zones which exist between the pedestals and the panels.

The reference 24 in FIGURE 8 represents a partition having fundamentally the same internal structure as the partition 19.

It will of course be understood that the length and the number of the section members 3 and 4, the panels 10 and the members 5 are to be chosen according to circumstances and particularly according to the dimensions in plan view of the panels which are to form the false ceiling.

It will also be understood that the shapes and the structures of the section members, panels and supporting members and the number of elements of which they are composed can also result from particular choices, in accordance with the best possible circumstances.

Thus, FIGURE 9 illustrates the case where the panels which form the false ceiling have a slot 25 along the edge of the panel and in which are fitted the outwardly turned flanges of the lower section members used for supporting the panels. Furthermore, the panels are extended beneath these section members, and thus they mask the latter from the eyes of an observer situated beneath the false ceiling.

In the modification shown in FIGURE 10, the supporting section members 4, instead of having an outwardly extending flange 4b on each of their larger sides, have two such flanges 4b and 4c, between which is fitted the end of the false ceiling panel 26.

Finally, FIGURE 11 relates to the case where metal false ceiling panels 27 are used, these providing the possibility of forming heated ceilings. These panels 27 are fitted on the flanges 4b or 4b of the supporting sections 4 or are even assembled with one another by U-shaped section members 28, by which two curved ends 27a, 27a of two adjacent panels 27, 27' are gripped one against the other.

It is also to be noted that the upper and lower ends of the panels such as 10 can be shaped so as to be adapted to be introduced into the grooves or channels of the section members, either through the edge of these latter or through the longitudinal opening of the groove, depending on circumstances.

I claim:

1. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings, comprising in combination: bearer section members fixed to a true ceiling, these section members having a downwardly opening longitudinal groove; supporting section members supporting the false ceiling, these section members having bearing surfaces for the false ceiling panels and an up Wardly open longitudinal groove; suspension members suspending the Support section members from the bearer section members, the said suspension members having an upper end retained in the groove of a bearer section member and a lower end being retained in the groove of a supporting section member, which is thus suspended from the bearer section member, and sound-absorbing panels mounted longitudinally between the bearer section memhers and the supporting section members, the upper and lower ends of these sound-absorbing panels engaged respectively in the grooves of the bearer section members and in the grooves of supporting section members.

2. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings as claimed in claim 1, in which the vertical sides of the sound-absorbing panels house the suspension members.

3. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings as claimed in claim 1, in which the lower faces of certain at least of the supporting section members have grooves for the fitting of a partition beneath the said section members.

4. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings as claimed in claim 1, in which one end at least of a suspension member can pivot on itself, this end having dimensions relatively to the dimensions of the opening and the bottom of the groove which is to receive it such that the said end can be introduced into the groove through the said opening and be retained therein after a certain movement from its position of introduction.

5. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings as claimed in claim 1, in which the suspension members are of an adjustable length.

6. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings as claimed in claim 5, in which one end of a suspension member can be screwed into the other end of this member.

7. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings as claimed in claim 1, in which the supporting section members are of U-shaped section, the wings of the U being terminated by two flanges extending towards one another.

8. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings as claimed in claim 7, in which the wings of the U are provided with at least one flange directed towards the outside of the 9. A hanging arrangement for false ceilings as claimed in claim 1, in which the heights of the sound-absorbing :panels are smaller than the length of the suspension members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,939,543 6/1960 Zingone 524l5 3,067,323 12/1962 Kember 52-241 X 3,327,438 6/1967 Cooper 52-238 X FOREIGN PATENT 1,352,778 1964 France.

JOHN E. MURTAGH, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HANGING ARRANGEMENT FOR FALSE CEILINGS, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: BEARER SECTION MEMBERS FIXED TO A TRUE CEILING, THESE SECTION MEMBERS HAVING A DOWNWARDLY OPENING LONGITUDINAL GROOVE; SUPPORTING SECTION MEMBERS SUPPORTING THE FALSE CEILING, THESE SECTION MEMBERS HAVING BEARING SURFACES FOR THE FALSE CEILING PANELS AND AN UPWARDLY OPEN LONGITUDINAL GROOVE; SUSPENSION MEMBERS SUSPENDING THE SUPPORT SECTION MEMBERS FROM THE BEARER SECTION MEMBERS, THE SAID SUSPENSION MEMBERS HAVING AN UPPER END RETAINED IN THE GROOVE OF A BEARER SECTION MEMBER AND A LOWER END BEING RETAINED IN THE GROOVE OF A SUPPORTING SECTION MEMBER, WHICH IS THUS SUSPENDED FROM THE BEARER SECTION MEMBER, AND SOUND-ABSORBING PANELS MOUNTED LONGITUDINALLY BETWEEN THE BEARER SECTION MEMBERS AND THE SUPPORTING SECTION MEMBERS, THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF THESE SOUND-ABSORBING PANELS ENGAGED RESPECTIVELY IN THE GROOVES OF THE BEARER SECTION MEMBERS AND IN THE GROOVES OF SUPPORTING SECTION MEMBERS. 